Channel 5 expects “a strong bounce back” from revenue and TV advertising market declines in 2020.
In its latest financial filings, the broadcaster reported an operating loss of £7.1m for the 12 months up to 31 December 2020 with turnover for the period at £294.9m.
The ViacomCBS-owned company said: “The total TV advertising market for 2021 is forecast to hit a record £4.6bn net, which is +23% YoY and +9% on 2019. In line with market predictions, Channel 5 is set to deliver a record operating profit in 2021.”
This is compared to a restated operating profit of £24.8m and restated turnover of £449.3m for the 15 months to 31 December 2019.
Share of viewing and streaming
In the report, Channel 5 revealed in 2020 it had 17% increased share of primetime viewing plus 7pm and 8pm timeslots share of viewing was up 16% year-on-year to highest ever figures.
My5, Channel 5’s video-on-demand (VOD) platform reported its most successful year with 69% growth in streams, including simulcasts.
All Creatures Great and Small (pictured, above) and Our Yorkshire Farm were the public broadcaster’s most popular shows, it said, with the former becoming the channel’s highest rating programme since 2016. Our Yorkshire Farm is its highest rated factual programme ever, averaging three million viewers and a 14% share above BBC, ITV and Channel 4 for the 9pm slot.
Most successful Christmas period
Channel 5 previously revealed Christmas 2021 was its most successful since 2005, with a a 5.23% share of viewing in the two weeks covering the festive period.
Christmas Eve gained the largest number of viewers and biggest share of the year with All Creatures Great & Small reaching 4.2m viewers and gaining a 21% share according to BARB data.
Its catch-up service My5 also saw an increase of 36% in streams compared to the previous year.
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